Upsurge defends immigrant rights. Movement focuses on Senate

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — The Republican leadership of the U.S. Senate has indicated that floor debate on landmark changes in immigration policy will begin the week of March 27. But the debate will get under way weeks earlier in the Judiciary Committee.

Last December, House Republicans pushed through HR 4437, containing drastically repressive measures. President Bush, who endorsed the House bill, has made it clear he wants the Senate to add a massive increase in “temporary” worker permit programs along with tougher restrictive measures.

Corporate media pundits say the debate will center on “enforcement only” versus temporary worker programs. A growing grassroots upsurge of immigrant communities and their allies is struggling to shift the focus to human, civil and labor rights.

The president has requested big funding increases in anti-immigrant punitive enforcement programs along with funds to expand temporary worker programs.

“It’s the old good cop, bad cop tactic, with both trying to lock you up,” said Herman Baca. An immigrant rights activist for over 35 years, Baca is president of the San Diego-based Committee on Chicano Rights.

Baca was present at a Feb. 11 conference here opposing HR 4437 and calling for legalization with equal rights for immigrant workers. Sponsored by the Latino-led National Alliance For Human Rights, the conference drew over 400 Latino community, labor and religious leaders and activists from all over California, along with delegations from other states. Participants voted to immediately initiate petitions, letter-writing and phone lobbying of senators at their local and Washington, D.C., offices. The conference also called for wide support for local demonstrations and a mass mobilization for immigrant rights in Los Angeles on March 25.

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